USAID Tubeho Project

GENDER EQUALITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION (GESI) 

Reference No: TN 002 /Jhpiego-RW/FY24 

TERMS OF REFERENCE TO SUPPORT THE ASSESSMENT ON THE ROLE OF GENDER POWER RELATIONS ON MATERNAL HEALTH OUTCOMES IN 4 DISTRICTS OF RWANDA SUPPORTED BY USAID TUBEHO PROJECT

1. Introduction

The USAID Tubeho project was designed to accelerate progress towards reducing maternal, newborn and child morbidity and mortality in Rwanda. To make this happen, USAID Tubeho will undertake a series of interventions in maternal, newborn, child, adolescent and youth, and malaria targeting individuals in all their diversities including, persons with disabilities. The USAID Tubeho project builds on past and current USAID investments, to accelerate the pace in the reduction of maternal, newborn, and child morbidity and mortality, allowing the Government of Rwanda  to feasibly reach its goals, even in times of disease outbreaks, thereby contributing to USAID’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy [CDCS] Development Objective [1]. At the end of 5 years, USAID Tubeho envisages accelerated progress towards reduction in the maternal mortality ratio from 203 per 100,000 live births to less than 160, and under-five mortality from 45 per 1,000 live births to less than 30.  USAID Tubeho is guided by four principles to increase project feasibility, scalability and sustainability:

• Data driven commitment to excellence;
• locally led sustainability.
• systems thinking, And resilience planning/preparedness, intersectionality, inclusivity and transformative.

Grounded in these four principles, progress is propelled by six strategic accelerators: 1) hyper-focus on key quality issues; 2) maximize impact via partnerships; 3) target inequities; 4) promote strategic innovations; 5) increase capacity in data-informed decisions; and 6) increase agency for adolescents, youths, women, people with disabilities and families to improve health

USAID Tubeho Project aims to achieve the following result areas:

Result 1: Increased access to, availability and utilization of evidence-based, quality, respectful MNCAH/FP/RH/malaria services.

Result 2: Capacity of host country institutions, local organizations and providers to sustainably deliver evidence-based, quality MNCAH/FP/RH/malaria services are strengthened in alignment with national priorities and global standards, and to respond to emerging global health threats.

Result 3: Increased use of adaptive learning and evidence in MNCAH/FP/RH/malaria programming.

2. Rationale

In Rwanda, socio-cultural factors have a considerable influence on national development, given that a national culture as a common frame of reference for the whole nation is crucial for development efforts (NISR, 2014). This justifies how social norms weigh on access to, and decision making, and utilization of health services. Gender inequality affects women and men differently and gender norms and behaviors negatively influence health. Women and girls are most victims as the social norms hinder them to decide and access freely to health information and services or impose them to seek permission of their husbands, they are exposed to violence, depression, HIV infection and malnutrition (UNAIDS, 2013). 

Drawing from the socio-ecological model, USAID Tubeho project will look at the individual, relationship, community, and societal-level factors that contribute to gender-based violence (GBV) and also opportunities for prevention across all these levels. USAID Tubeho will prioritize inclusivity and address the specific identity factors that increase the risks of gender-based violence for targeted populations and that undermine access to services and support. USAID Tubeho project will approach gender as a crosscutting theme built into all activities to promote greater equality between women and men in their diversities to the greatest extent possible at all levels of strategic development, program planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. Aligning with USAID gender equality principles, USAID Tubeho gender equality integration will encompass intersectionality, inclusivity, responsive and transformative approaches across the project activities.

In addition, the USAID Tubeho project will contribute to change gender norms restricting women and men’s access to health services and realizing good health and to the national efforts geared towards GBV prevention and response, engaging with the community to address prevalent norms, strengthening referral pathways for survivors and improving quality of care.

3. GESI purpose and scope

The USAID Tubeho project is seeking to hire a consultant to carry out a GESI assessment on the role of gender power relations on maternal health outcomes in Nyarugenge, Rubavu, Nyagatare and Musanze districts.

The GESI assessment will provide qualitative and quantitative information on how maternal health outcomes may be influenced by gender norms, but the extend to which gender norms affect maternal health; example antenatal care (ANC) attendance. The assessment findings will be used by the project and other multiple stakeholders for programming and advocacy purposes. 

The study duration will be conducted using quantitative and qualitative data collection. Qualitative component will be in the form of focus group discussions and key informant interviews targeting men, women, adolescents, persons with disabilities as well as health care providers. The findings will provide valuable information that will contribute to MNCH interventions towards strengthening of delivery and behavior change at all levels.

The assessment will focus on health care providers, community and health leadership. 

The assessment will look at all Tubeho Project main technical domains as follow: 

• Maternal newborn and child health
• FP/SRH
• Malaria
• Global Health Security (GHS) 

4. GESI assessment goal

The overall goal of the GESI assessment is to provide information on the role of gender power relations on maternal health outcomes.  Therefore, the results of the assessment may also serve as reference to evaluate and measure the contribution of USAID Tubeho project in 2027 during project final evaluation phase.

5. Objectives of GESI assessment

• Identify the different needs and experiences of women and men, young people and persons with disabilities that exist within the health system.
• Review and better understand the root causes and consequences of gender power relations and their correlation with the MNCH.
• Identify and quantify the constraints facing by health care providers, biases that may affect the provision of services and the and existing opportunities in delivering MNCH services.
• Provide appropriate recommendations for effective gender and youth inclusion and for better project reorganization to ameliorate, accommodate or redress the differences among men, women, young people and persons with disabilities.
• Disseminate the findings of the GESI assessment to the project partners, stakeholders and donor. 

6. Assessment approach and methods

The consultant will be requested to develop a comprehensive methodology (including detailed Methods, techniques of data collection, analysis and sampling framework) and data collection tools. The consultant is also expected to provide a roadmap for the assessment with clear plan. The consultant should explain how quantitative and qualitative data will be collected and used and will develop a comprehensive technical offer to state his/her understanding of the scope of work and strategies to use to perform this assessment. 

7. GESI assessment expected deliverables

This GESI assessment will be conducted by an external consultant who will be hired by Jhpiego/Tubeho project according to the tender policy in place and the Gender Advisor will supervise and support the entire process under the technical leadership of the Deputy Chief of Party.

The consultant will be able to perform all the assessment related tasks and is expected to deliver the following:

• A comprehensive detailed methodology for the GESI assessment; data collection and analysis techniques and methods, sampling framework (sample size and selection techniques, etc.),
• Well-designed quantitative and qualitative questionnaires, Key Informant questions according to the outcomes to assess.
• High quality inception report describing methods and techniques to use for this assessment, profile of participants who will be involved.
• Data collection and dissemination plan.
• A high-quality assessment report.
• Lead internal validation and external meetings to disseminate the key findings of the assessment. 

8. Assessment timeline

The GESI assessment is planned to be performed within 40 working days after the contract signature.

9. Dissemination

The plan and responsibilities for sharing and using GESI assessment findings will be developed after the inception report.

10. Qualifications

Successful candidates will demonstrate the following skills and qualifications:

• Post-graduate degree in public health, gender studies, or qualitative research
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience working on issues related to gender and health.
• Proven track record conducting key informant interviews and focus groups with subject matter experts as well as community members, and in low literacy settings.
• Proven experience supervising qualitative research teams and ensuring qualitative data quality and completeness.
• Understanding and experience of USAIDs approach to gender equality and social inclusion.
• Be Rwandan by nationality and fluent in Kinyarwanda.
• English writing and speaking skills strongly preferred.
• Ability to be flexible and work independently with little supervision.
• Available for assignment as soon as possible.

11. Technical Proposal

The technical proposal to be submitted by the bidder must have the components described in the below sections. Companies or Consultancy Firms are not eligible to apply.

11.2 Evaluation Criteria

How to apply: 

Interested potential Consultants are invited to submit their applications files to the Chief of Party of USAID Tubeho Project via HR.Rwanda@jhpiego.org with “Consultancy Work to support the Assessment on the role of Gender Power Relations on Maternal Health outcomes in 4 Districts of Rwanda supported by USAID Tubeho Project” in the subject line by January 31^st, 2024 before 5:30pm. 

The application file should include: 

• Biography and updated CVs of the Consultant.
• Technical proposal (3 pages maximum) should highlight her/his previous work experience relevant to the assignment, the attributes that make them suitable, to the assignment.
• Financial proposal with daily rate in US dollars currency and detailed information on the Consultant bank account. 

Prior to apply, consultant must update their profile in the database in Jhpiego Global Consultancy Registry via www.consultants-jhpiego.icims.com    

Only consultant candidates fulfilling the above requirements will be contacted. If you don’t hear from us within One day from the submission deadline, consider your application unsuccessful. 

Note: 

Jhpiego is an equal opportunity employer. It does not discriminate in employment because of age, religion, tribe, race, color, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, military status, marital status, family responsibility, station of life, political opinion, health (includes HIV/AIDS, pregnancy) socioeconomic status, or any other occupationally irrelevant criteria. Employment and promotion for any position are based on an individual’s qualifications and merit. Jhpiego does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, orientation or any other fees).

Done at Kigali, January 26^th, 2024.

Laurence Mukanyindo

Finance& Operations Director